


when it all goes wrong, everything goes right

by Skyepilot



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Daisy and Coulson feels, Daisy as Coulson's bodyguard, Daisy is always right, F/M, Politics, Speculation, Supportive Relationships, Touching, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension, hand holding, low-key flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-25
Updated: 2016-03-25
Packaged: 2018-05-28 22:19:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6347800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyepilot/pseuds/Skyepilot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Speculative UST Skoulson fic about President Ellis double-crossing Coulson and of course Daisy being right about everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	when it all goes wrong, everything goes right

“I’m hearing reports.  That you have a team of Inhumans working for you.”

He didn’t assume anything, of course.  He figured it fell under President Ellis’ general “don’t ask don’t tell” umbrella in regards to their operations.

Now it occurs to him, that maybe Roz _did_ keep Daisy under wraps, after all.  Just as he’d asked.

“I have a team of SHIELD agents working for me,” he answers, vaguely, his gut telling him to get a good survey of their surroundings, at the men with the President.

It’s the same detail as the last time.  He wills himself to relax. Slightly.

“We both can see the writing on the wall,” the President answers back, taking a seat beside him. “The ATCU has developed a threat scale. Only in response to the incident with the Russian PM. You understand, of course.”

“Of course,” Coulson replies, dryly. He already doesn’t like where this is going.  “A situation which was prevented by SHIELD agents.”

“Agreed,” the other man replies, shifting on the park bench. “But, I can’t control the channels or the frequency with which Malick is releasing information.”

“You mean that SHIELD is HYDRA?” Coulson smirks, colorlessly, leaning forward to place his arms on his knees.

“That SHIELD is collecting Inhumans,” the President says sharp, direct.

“That’s what Malick is doing,” he corrects him, turning to face him. “And, let me know if I’m way off here, but doesn’t the head of the ATCU have a gifted person working for him?”

The President gives Coulson a hesitant smile, and nods his head, caught.  “A sanctioned government organization, Phil.”

He’s not sure he likes him calling him “Phil”, like they’re such good friends.  Or the idea that Roz sold him on the idea of SHIELD, when he’d only known her for the briefest of moments.

“Powered people aren’t hard to come by Mr. President,” Coulson smiles. “You just have to know where to look.”

“People feel…safer,” the man starts to answer, looking down for a moment. “When they know they’re on your side.”

“So, you’re buying into this idea that they’re weapons?”

“That’s what _everyone_ is buying into,” the President says with a sigh, standing, then sliding his hands down the front of his suit to smooth it. “On and off the books.”

Coulson feels his jaw tighten.  A black market for Inhumans.

They’ve suspected it ever since they knew that one of the symposium members had one in their possession to bring to a roundtable discussion with Malick.

After the assassination, Bobbi and Hunter took the fall, but Malick walked away from it, unscathed.  It only set all of this in motion, and SHIELD was simply trying to prevent an international incident with Inhumans.

“I know you wanted to get out in front of this,” the President continues, adjusting his gloves. “The symposium was, unfortunately, a setback.  We’re running out of time.”

“Running out of time?” Coulson scoffs, standing, finding something ugly coiling in the pit of his stomach.  “For what?  Treating them like human beings?”

“The world isn’t ready to see them that way.  They’re aliens.  This isn’t like the Avengers.”

“Maybe it’s the world that needs to change?” he replies, taking a step towards him.

The President holds up his hand as his security detail backs away.

“And here I thought you were the clear-headed one,” the President says, weary.

Coulson narrows his eyes at the man’s tone.  This all feels like a set up.

“The one with the seismic powers,” he continues. “She’s about a ten on our threat scale.”

He fights any sort of reaction, but sees the President stare down at his left hand, balled into a fist.

“You’re only a 4, Phil.  Even with the hand.”

 

#

“Coulson,” she says, following him into his office.

She watches him begin to look through the classified files on his desk, move papers around.

Like nothing is right.

“Phil,” she tries again.

He was meeting with the President, and it's all wrong. His vibrations are all off, bouncing all over the place, and she's starting to worry.

When he came back to base, he didn’t make eye contact or talk to anyone as he made his way to his office.

“What happened?” she asks, in the same tones that Dr. Garner had used with her, as he suddenly shoves all of the papers off his desk.

“Hey!” she yells, as he jolts to look up at her.

He shuts his eyes, and she takes the moment to walk to his office door and close it, quietly.

Then, she waits. Watching his hands planted on the desk, trying to regain his control.

“I made a mistake,” he finally says, meeting her eyes again.

He doesn't say anything more, and she knows. She just _knows_ , because they've been here before.

It’s his eyes, and the way he’s looking at her.  It has to do with her in some way, what he’s carrying.

“What?” she asks, after taking a deep breath.

“You were right,” he tells her, his voice shaking at the edges. “You should’ve been at the symposium.  I should’ve known better-“

“You were trying to help.”

“I was trying to _protect_ you,” he admits, guilt dripping from his voice. “You’re not weapons.  I thought they’d be willing to listen to someone like them, but-“

“They _want_ us to be weapons,” she finishes for him, watching his eyes widen. “Yeah.  That’s what the Kree wanted, too.  It’s what we were made to be.”

“You’re not-“ he starts to say, and then moves around the desk, stepping over the scattered files like he’s embarrassed to even get closer to her.

“Captain America was a weapon, too, Phil,” she shrugs, holding her arms around herself. “To win a war.”

She watches him press his tongue against the inside of his cheek, irritated at her suggestion, but then pressing his lips together, accepting it.

“It’s okay,” she assures him, reaching out a hand to touch his arm. “It still matters what side you choose.  Human or Inhuman.”

“I want to be,” he starts, hesitates, then answers her, careful and measured. “On your side.”

“Me too,” she smiles at him, and watches him hold her eyes, searching them.

She lets her hand slide down his arm and she holds onto his wrist, just long enough that he understands, and wraps his fingers around hers.

“I guess we’re still in the dark together?” she says, hopefully, a little playfully.

“Daisy.”

He whispers her name, like it means so much.  Too much to let her make light of this.  To let him off the hook. Again.

“It sounds,” she begins, looking down. “Like _you_ might need some protection. _Director_. Have you ever considered that?”

“No,” he says too quickly. “Not my style.”

“Talbot has Creel,” she offers. “For a reason.”

“Because Talbot likes a chain of command. And you’re already responsible for so much,” he says softly, “I'd never ask-“

“Oh, I was thinking of Agent Campbell,” she cuts in. 

He immediately rolls his eyes, and she laughs, watching him try to school his expression, and his irritation.

“Or not,” she adds, biting her bottom lip, and staring at their hands still linked together.

She watches as he lets go, standing up straighter and she’d swear that he’s almost flustered.

“For higher-level meetings. It would make sense.”

“As long as you’re comfortable. Sir,” she replies.

“I am,” he says with a smirk.

“Good.”

She looks around the mess in his office.

“Should we get started?”


End file.
